A PAPER ON

GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUE

( GROUP 1 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING)
Submitted by
Mr. Kshirsagar Aji!"a #$has Mr. Ra%&!ar #hrirag Pra'ha!ar
T.E.Civil T.E.Civil
victajink@rediffmail.com shrirang_priti@yahoo.co.in
Under the guidance of
Pr(). #. #. Ni*'a%!ar
!rof. Civil Engg. "eptt.# $.C.E.%arad&

D&+ar,*&, () Ci-i% Egi&&rig G.C.E.Kara. /1011/
INDE2
Cha+,&r
(.
Ti,%&
' (ntroduction
) $round (mprovement Techni*ue
+ ,ibroflotation Techni*ue
- !rocedure
. /pplications
0 /dvantages
1 2imitations
3 Case Study
4 Conclusion
'5 6eference
A3#TRACT
India has seen increasing growth in infrastructure development in the last decade. Since
all the structures directly rests on the soil, the study of the behavior of different types of soils is
very much necessary. The in-situ characteristics of a construction site are different from those
desired and almost always, far from ideal for a designated need. The presence of large deposits
of weak soils of varying types has necessitated the development and application of various
ground improvement techniques.
There are many methods of improving the characteristics of soil such as surface
compaction, drainage methods, Vibro compaction method, Vibro-displacement method,
compaction piles, Vibro-floatation, heavy tamping, pre-compaction and consolidation, dynamic
consolidation, grouting and inection, stabili!ation with chemicals, use of geo-te"tiles and geo-
membranes and other miscellaneous methods.
This paper will briefly discuss all the methods, giving special consideration to the
#Vibro-floatation$ method, due to its high efficiency in compacting the sandy soils, by
simultaneous vibration and saturation. The technique has also been used in a big way for
installation of stone columns for strengthening soft soils for foundation of steel cylindrical
storage tanks %more tan &''( all around the coasts of India for refineries and chemical plants.
1) INTRODUCTION4
(n7situ sol characteristics of a construction site are different form those desired and8
almost al9ays8 far from ideal for a designated need. :ith increased urban development sites 9ith
favorable foundation conditions became depleted. /t times the civil engineer has been forced to
construct the structures at sites selected for reasons other than soil conditions. Thus it is
increasingly important for the engineer to kno9 the degree to 9hich soil properties may be
improved or other alternatives may be thought of for the construction of an intended structure at
the stipulated site.
(f unsuitable soil conditions are encountered at the site of proposed structure8 one of
the follo9ing four procedures may be adopted;
'& <y pass the unsuitable soil by means of deep foundations e=tending to a suitable bearing
material.
)& 6edesign the structure and its foundations for support by the poor soil8 a procedure that
may be not be either feasible or economical.
+& 6emove the poor material and either treat it to improve and replace it or substitute for it
by suitable material.
-& Treat the soil in place to improve its properties.
>urther8 in case of e=isting structures e=hibiting foundation distress8 in place
foundation treatments may be used as corrective measures. ?o9 a days8 various processes
are available by 9hich the characteristics of the construction sites can be improved either to
facilitate the construction operations or to allo9 the increased bearing pressures or to reduce
the settlements. The techni*ues involved in the attainment of the re*uired improvement
facilities are referred to as @geotechnical processA.
1) GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUE#4
The various ground improvement techni*ues in practice are;
/& Surface compaction.
<& "rainage methods;
'& :ell point system.
)& "eep 9ell drainage.
+& ,acuum de9atering systems.
C& !re compression and consolidation;
'& !reloading and surcharge fills.
)& ,ertical drains.
+& "ynamic consolidation.
-& Electro osmotic consolidation.
"& $routing and injection;
'& Suspension grout.
)& Solution grout.
E& Chemical stabiliBation;
'& 2ime stabiliBation.
)& Cement stabiliBation.
+& >ly ash stabiliBation.
>& Soil reinforcement;
$& $eote=tiles and geomembranes;
'& $eote=tiles as separators.
)& $eote=tiles as filter.
+& $eote=tiles as drain.
-& $eote=tiles as reinforcement.
C& ,ibration methods;
'& ,ibrocompaction.
)& ,ibro displacement compaction;
a& Compaction piles.
') Vi'r()%(,a,i(.
(& Dther methods;
'& Thermal methods.
)& Eoisture barriers.
+& !re 9etting.
-& /ddition or removal of soil.

5) VI3RO67LOTATION TECHNIQUE4
The vibroflotation techni*ue for densifying loose sands originated in $ermany in
the thirties. Stone column installation using this techni*ue 9as developed in <ritain in the si=ties
to successfully utiliBe the same for tank foundation on soft clays. (n (ndia8 vibroflotation has
been used since the si=ties. The techni*ue has also been used in a big 9ay for foundation of steel
cylindrical storage tanks more than '55& all around the coast of (ndia for refineries and chemical
plants from the seventies. The tank siBes vary from )..m to 14m in diameter and up to '.m in
height.
$enerally the designed load intensities for the storage tanks are up to '0 tonFs*.m.8
and the computed settlement for the untreated soil is of the order of '555mm and 055mm at the
centre and periphery respectively for 14mm diameter tanks. Soil treatment 9ith vibrolflotated
stone columns are used in these areas to reduce the settlement by .5G to 05G thus making the
process acceptable especially in the vie9 of large acceptable total settlement as such storage
tanks can accommodate. Co9ever the allo9able differential settlements are not that high8
especially for the floating roof tanks8 and this aspect re*uires a thorough study of the behavior of
the stone column treated ground. Eodel studies and field load tests on columns have suggested
that the column tends to bulge under the load and the surrounded soil tries to counteract the same
by passive resistance. /s the settlement of the column and the surrounding soil is to be the same
and because of much higher modulus of stone column8 the stone column is stretched to many
times higher than the soil. Thus the stress on soil is relieved. Together 9ith high proportions of
the replacements of the soil by the relatively incompressible stone metal8 this results in reduction
of the settlement. (n most of the cases8 stone columns are laid in a triangular pattern8 spacing
varying from '.0. to ).)m 9ith some concentration under the shell and periphery beyond the
shell. (t has been 9idely reported that at about 'F) to 'F+ radius from the periphery8 the
settlement may be of comparable magnitude as that at the centre and in the recent past and some
concentration in that area has been made in that layout to cater for the e=tra settlement i.e. by
aiming at a higher reduction.
/) PROCEDURE4
,ibroflot vibroneedle& attached 9ith suitable follo9 on tubes about
-55mm diameter is sunk through the soft soil 9ith bottom 9ater jets and vibration. The vibration
is created by an eccentric 9eight rotated at vertical a=is at '355rpm giving a lateral oscillating
load of about '5 tons. The rotation of the eccentric 9eight is by hydraulic motor. ,ibration is
isolated at the castellation junction so that vibration does not propagate to the follo9 on tubes
figure no )& surging is done for a couple of times to push out the accumulate effluent.
/fter the final day is reached8 the ,ibro assembly is raised by .55mm to
055mm above the final depth and the top 9ater jets are opened and bottom 9ater jets reduced.
Use of compressed air is also in vogue. Co9ever8 soil conditions need to be stiff and the position
of the 9ater table plays an important part in selecting compressed air as a jetting fluid. So far no
site is encountered in (ndia 9here compressed air can be utiliBed. '55mmF 1.mm do9n stone
metal is poured around the ,ibroflot and allo9ed to sink against the up flo9ing 9ater. /fter
dumping about 5.-cum. of metal8 the vibroflot is lo9ered and allo9ed to penetrate inside the
stone metal. Compaction is indicated 9ith a sharp rising pressure gauge. "uring this operation
the above process is repeated to form a vibrostone column. (n case of loose sand compaction8
sand is poured through the annular space. /s the particles densify8 they assume their most
compact form. <y raising the vibrators step by step and simultaneously backfilling 9ith sand8 the
entire depth of the soil is compacted into a hard core.


0) APPLICATION#4
'& Eost ,ibroflotation applications have been to depths less than )5m although depth of
+5m has been attained successfully. The ma=imum depth appears limited mainly by the
ability of the crane to pull the vibroflot out of the ground.
)& The t9o most important factors contributing to successful densification are the grain siBe
distribution of the soil and the nature of the backfill material used.
+& The grain siBe distribution of in7situ soil suitable for ,ibroflotation is sho9n in the figure.
This techni*ue is best suited for densifying very loose sand belo9 the 9ater table that have
grain siBe distribution falling 9ithin entirely Bone <. soil 9ith the grain siBe distribution entirely
9ithin Bone C are very difficult to compact by ,ibroflotation. (n general8 the densities achieved
and the Bone of the compaction decreases 9ith increasing silt and clay content. The fine and
organics apparently damp out vibrations8 stick sand particles together or fill voids bet9een the
particles8 and thus restrict the relative movements of particles necessary for densification.
8) ADVANTAGE#4
'& ?o material cost e=cept backfill material.
)& Complete uniformity in density and hence better control on settlement H $ives high
bearing capacity.
+& Euch *uicker in operation than the conventional impact type hammer.
-& Computer controlled up and do9n movement of the ,ibroprobe using force pull7do9n
speeds up the column installation by maintaining a ma=imum level of *uality thanks to
the patented "ouble 2ock.
.& >aster than pile driving.
9) LIMITATION#4
'& The method is not suitable for gravel8 dense sand and cemented sand as the rate of probe
penetration is reduced.
)& The effect becomes still less 9hen the 9ater table is located at a greater depth8 under
these conditions ,ibroflotation might prove to be uneconomical.
+& The specialiBed rig re*uires a high initial investment. 6e*uires 9ell trained operator for
the computer controlled pneumatic transport system.
-& The site boundary if need to be properly densified to perform8 may re*uire several meters
of vibroflotation beyond the site boundary depending on the depth of ground treatment
and properties.
:) CA#E #TUD;4
1) Vi<ag4 Subsoil at this site consists of '.0m fill follo9ed by ')..m of very soft to soft
silty clay 9hich in turn 9as underlain by stiff silty clay and very dense sand. /bout
+5 storage tanks having diameters varying from )..m to '1..m8 the latter of height of
')..m8 made up of stainless steel 9ere installed at a chemical plant. >igure sho9s the
layout of the stone column used at this site. Stone columns resting on the bottom stiff
silty clays 9ere adopted. Columns 9ere installed by vibroflotation techni*ue. Cigh
design intensities of '1tonFs*.m. necessitated triangular spacing of '..m centre to
centre. /t least t9o ro9s of stone columns 9ere provided beyond the ring beam on
9hich the shells of the storage tanks are supported. Under 9ater at a height ')..m
during hydrotest8 the total settlement 9as about )45mm 9here as computed
settlement of untreated soil 9as about 355mm.

1) 3a'ra%a 7&r,i%i<&r P%a,4 The site of this fertiliBer plant is situated about '.5km south
east of ?e9 "elhi in $angetic !lains. The subsoil is generally clayee silt in the top ).. to
-m follo9ed by a '5m thick loose medium to fine sand. Underneath this fine sand8 -m
thick stiff clay follo9ed by dense to very dense8 medium to fine sand e=tending to a
considerable depth e=ists. /s the site falls under seismic Bone (((F(,8 a definite need to
densify soil to counteract likely li*uefaction 9as felt by the o9ner and their consultants.
The structure included '50m tall prilling to9er8 compressor8 tank for ammonia and
naphtha8 a pipe rack8 process column of height up to 15m8 a t9o span 9orkshop8 bagging
plant etc.
(n vie9 of kno9n e=cellent performance of vibroflot compaction ,ibro7
compaction& in densifying sands including fine sand8 the consultants selected vibroflot
compaction. Stone backfill 9as proposed because of its very high permeability and
thereby faster release of pore pressure in case of an earth*uake. / trail 9as initially made
on a '5m I '5m area at the centre of prilling to9er foundation 9ith a '..m triangular
spacing. The proposed foundation 9as an annular raft.
!re and post compaction S!TJs and field lo9 tests on single as 9ell as on +
column group 9ere conducted. The load tests 9ere performed up to an intensity of +1..
tonFs*.m. and the resultant settlements at the test load 9ere 9ell 9ithin '5mm. block
vibration test carried out on stone columns gave significant improvement in the dynamic
properties of the subsoil.

=) CONCLU#ION4
'& The above case studies and the e=perience gained in strengthening the foundation soil by
vibroflotation for more then '55 tanks and its application to other structures justify its use
both from technical as 9ell as economic considerations.
)& This type of techni*ue of improving is most suitable for cohesionless soils.
+& This method should be adopted because of its ease in operation than conventional impact
type hammer.
-& Tests such as Cone !enetration Test and Standard !enetration Test must be carried out
before and after the application of this techni*ue to check the standards.
1>) RE7ERENCE4
1) Ti*&s j($ra% () ?(s,r$?,i( a. .&sig.
1) G&(,&?hi?a% &gi&&rig '" P$r$sh(,ha*a Raj.
5) Tra)a%gar H($s& C(s,r$?,i( I.ia Li*i,&.. ()(r*&r%" C&*i.ia
C(*+a" Li*i,&.).
/) I6si,$ .&&+ s(i% i*+r(-&*&, '" K"%& D R(%%is
0) D&&+ ?(*+a?,i( () gra$%ar s(i%s '" Dr@ K@ Rai&r Massars?h.
8) A($ra% () I.ia #(?i&," ( #(i% M&?hai?s a. 7($.a,i(
Egi&&rig.
9) BBB.g&()(r$*.?(*